Final answer:
Linguistic universals like openness, displacement, arbitrariness, and duality of pattern are common features of all human languages and are attributed to our shared biology, cognition, and perception as humans.
Step-by-step explanation:
Openness, displacement, arbitrariness, and duality of pattern are linguistic universals common to all human languages. These linguistic features stem from innate aspects of human anatomy, perception, and cognition. Unlike animal communication systems which are commonly 'closed', human language is marked by its infinite capacity to generate new meanings and ideas. This is possible due to the complex rules that govern the combination of language units (such as sounds and words), allowing for an endless array of expressions. Biological anthropologists have noted that while nonhuman primates do not use language in the wild, they possess some biological capabilities that allow them to learn aspects of human language in controlled environments. This signals an evolutionary linguistic capacity exclusive to humans, facilitating the accumulation of complex culture.
Human language is not only malleable and responsive to cultural differences but also shaped by universal aspects of cognition. For instance, language influences thought through providing metaphors and frameworks that help to categorize and understand the world. Different languages might encourage different cognitive maps based on how they relate to space and direction. Yet, our shared biology also leads to universal patterns across all human languages, such as the categorization of color, which relies on the human visual system. These patterns reflect underlying folk taxonomies, systems of categories that are informed by both our biological nature and the specific environments and cultures in which we live.